CUTTACK, India, CMC – A smarting West Indies will seek redemption when their five match One-Day International series against India bowls off here today.
The tourists were whipped 2-0 in the preceding three-Test series, and were lucky not to lose the last Test in Mumbai when they escaped with a draw following a dramatic last over.
Captain Darren Sammy said his struggling side would look to turn the page on the last few weeks and make an impression in the shorter version of the game.
“We have the belief that we will come out well and look to win matches. We as a team are looking to improve in every aspect of the game whether in Tests, one-dayers or Twenty20s,” he told reporters.
“We are looking forward to what could be a very exciting five-match ODI series. Both teams have equally capable players who can make an impact.”
Sammy’s side will take on a different look from the Test series, with Twenty20 specialist Kieron Pollard, flashy opener Lendl Simmons and exciting all-rounder Andre Russell among the seven changes to the squad.
Both Pollard and Russell will had power to the Windies lower order while Simmons will boost the top order, having scored a century and three half-centuries in his last six ODI innings.
Sammy said the team would be looking to players like Pollard to rejuvenate their fortunes.
“We all have seen what he (Pollard) has done here in the IPL. Last time he played in the World Cup, he batted well,” Sammy explained.
“He has a lot of knowledge about the Indian conditions and Indian players, having played here for three seasons. We look forward to his knowledge and use that to our advantage.”
There is, however, an element of inexperience in the Windies squad as two of the new call-ups – batsman Jason Mohammed and off-spinner Sunil Narine – are on their debut tour.
Both grab the selectors’ attention with strong performances in the Regional Super50 Series, the premier one-day competition staged last month in Guyana.
Batsman Danza Hyatt and leg-spinner Anthony Martin, the two other additions to the one-day squad, have played only 12 ODIs between them.
West Indies will see this series as perhaps their best chance of getting the better of the Indians who have rested two of their leading players, captain MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar.
Stroke-maker Yuvraj Singh is unavailable as he recovers from illness while seamer Praveen Kumar was ruled out on Monday with injury for the first three matches of the series.
Sammy said Dhoni’s absence would weaken the Indians.
“There is no doubt [that India will miss Dhoni]. Looking at the one-day series against England, Dhoni contributed a lot at his position. Basically, he finishes the game for India all the time,” said Sammy.
“I do not think he got out at all in those one-dayers.”
In Dhoni’s absence, the side will be led by dashing opener Virender Sehwag and will look to Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma to bolster the batting.
The match will bowl off at 2 pm (4 am Eastern Caribbean time) at the revamped 45,000-capacity Barabati Stadium.
SQUAD:INDIA – Virender Sehwag (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel (wk), R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary and Rahul Sharma.
WEST INDIES – Darren Sammy (captain), Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath, Danza Hyatt, Marlon Samuels, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Anthony Martin, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kieran Powell, Ravi Rampaul and Kemar Roach.
